Trip from Ida, MI to Detroit, MI

Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 17, 2026 · Editorial standards

Drive Time

1h 5m

Distance

49 mi

79 km

Drive Score

8/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 16 min

4 AM

1h 0m ★

6 AM

1h 5m

8 AM

1h 16m

10 AM

1h 9m

12 PM

1h 8m

3 PM

1h 10m

5 PM

1h 15m

8 PM

1h 2m

Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.

Best Time Drive vs Fly

Google Maps Waze Apple Maps

Download GPX

Ida, MI

fish socks

Trip Overview

The drive from Ida, MI to Detroit, MI covers 49 miles and takes about 1h 5m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.

The route leans on Detroit-Toledo Expressway, Fisher Freeway, M 50 for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is highway-focused drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 16.6 miles on Detroit-Toledo Expressway. At current regular gas prices, budget about $7.27 one way before food or hotel costs.

Who Is This Route For?

Weekend Trip

Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 5m. Total distance: 49 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

1h 5m drive, comfortable solo distance.

EV Driver

0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.

First-Time Driver

Mostly highway driving (64%). Some complex stretches to watch for.

Drive Character

This is a 1h 5m highway drive covering 49 miles, with most of the trip on Detroit-Toledo Expressway and Fisher Freeway. The longest continuous stretch is about 16.6 miles on Detroit-Toledo Expressway.

Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.

There are about 20 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.

Detroit-Toledo Expressway is the longest continuous segment at about 16.6 miles.

How Hard Is This Drive?

This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Detroit-Toledo Expressway and Fisher Freeway. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 10.2 miles in near US 24 / South Telegraph Road.

Driving Effort 7/10

Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers

Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.

This drive requires moderate attention. Across 49 miles you will encounter 16 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.

Where does it get tricky?

The main spots that need attention: at 10.2 miles (US 24 / South Telegraph Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 44 miles (I 75 / Fisher Freeway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 47.8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.

Critical Maneuvers

5 of 16 key points

These are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.

10.2 mi into trip | ~15m in | US 24 / South Telegraph Road

Turn left onto US 24 / South Telegraph Road

Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / right lanes.

44 mi into trip | ~56m in | I 75 / Fisher Freeway

Keep slight left at fork onto I 75 / Fisher Freeway

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / slight right lanes.

47.8 mi into trip | ~1h 1m in

Take the exit toward Grand River Avenue

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here

Use the slight right lane. Exit 50 Toward Grand River Avenue

48.1 mi into trip | ~1h 2m in | M 5 / Grand River Avenue

Turn right onto M 5 / Grand River Avenue

Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / right lanes.

48.9 mi into trip | ~1h 4m in | Woodward Avenue

Turn right onto Woodward Avenue

Lane positioning matters here

Use the right lane.

Main Roads

Road	Distance	Duration
Detroit-Toledo Expressway	16.6 mi	17m
Fisher Freeway	14.9 mi	17m
M 50	7.7 mi	11m
South Telegraph Road	3.9 mi	6m
Lewis Avenue	2.5 mi	4m
Nadeau Road	1.3 mi	2m
Heiss Road	0.5 mi	1m
Grand River Avenue	0.5 mi	1m

Longest stretch: Detroit-Toledo Expressway — 16.6 mi, about 17m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Ida, MI and Detroit, MI.

Start on Lewis Avenue

2.5 mi · 4 min · Lewis Avenue

Turn right onto M 50

7.7 mi · 11 min · M 50

Turn left onto US 24

3.9 mi · 6 min · South Telegraph Road

Use the straight / right lanes.

Turn right onto Heiss Road

0.5 mi · 1 min · Heiss Road

Turn left onto M 125

455 ft · 11 sec · North Monroe Street

Turn right onto Nadeau Road

1.3 mi · 2 min · Nadeau Road

Take the ramp

0.3 mi · 38 sec

Toward I 75 North: Detroit

Merge onto I 75

17 mi · 17 min · Detroit-Toledo Expressway

Continue on I 75

11 mi · 12 min · Fisher Freeway

Toward I 75 Use the straight / slight left lanes.

Keep slight left at fork onto I 75

3.8 mi · 5 min · Fisher Freeway

Use the straight / slight right lanes.

Take the exit

0.2 mi · 28 sec

Exit 50 Toward Grand River Avenue Use the slight right lane.

Continue on Fisher Drive West

442 ft · 16 sec · Fisher Drive West

Use the straight lane.

Turn right onto M 5

0.5 mi · 1 min · Grand River Avenue

Use the straight / right lanes.

Turn right onto Griswold Street

0.2 mi · 30 sec · Griswold Street

Use the straight / right lanes.

Turn left onto Michigan Avenue

341 ft · 15 sec · Michigan Avenue

Turn right onto Woodward Avenue

179 ft · 6 sec · Woodward Avenue

Use the right lane.

Continue on Woodward Avenue

124 ft · 8 sec · Woodward Avenue

Continue on Woodward Avenue

231 ft · 14 sec · Woodward Avenue

Turn right onto Cadillac Square

126 ft · 4 sec · Cadillac Square

Arrive at destination

Cadillac Square

Where to Stop

Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.

Halfway Point

Midpoint

About 24.5 mi from Ida, MI · 35m into the drive

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Trenton, MI

25 mi into the route

Best for: Lunch, fuel, and a longer reset

This sits close to the middle of the route, so it works well for the longest stop of the day.

Popular next leg

Trenton, MI to Detroit, MI

18.7 mi · 32m

Pacing Suggestions

Detroit Beach, MI

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 11 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Trenton, MI

Meal break

The midpoint is around 24.5 miles from Ida, MI, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Arriving in Detroit, MI

The final approach into Detroit, MI usually feels slower than the middle of the drive, so avoid planning your tightest schedule at the very end.

These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$7.27 one way

$14.55 round trip

$3.77/gal 25.4 MPG avg 17 kg CO₂

Fuel Type	$/gal	One Way	Round Trip
midgrade	$4.25	$8.20	$16.41
premium	$4.65	$8.98	$17.96
diesel	$5.30	$10.23	$20.46

No toll roads detected on this route.

Drive Cost (one way)

Fuel

Estimated CO2 emission: 17.1 kg one way.

Driving Electric?

About $5 in charging · 0 stops · 65% less CO₂

Vehicle Type	kWh	DC Fast	Home Charge
Average EV	14.7	$5.15	$2.35
Efficient EV	12.3	$4.29	$1.96
EV Truck/SUV	19.6	$6.86	$3.14

Gas CO2

17 kg

EV CO2

6 kg (65% less)

This trip is well within single-charge range for most EVs. No charging stops needed if you start fully charged.

DC fast charging avg $0.35/kWh. Home charging avg $0.16/kWh. US grid CO2: 0.39 kg/kWh.

Travel Intel

Current conditions at both ends of the drive.

Forecast as of Apr 17, 2026

Origin

Ida, MI

Evening in Ida on Friday

Local time

5:33 PM

EDT

Current temp

52°F

Areas Of Fog

NNW 3 mph 0% chance Live forecast

Dense Fog Advisory

Dense Fog Advisory issued April 17 at 2:51AM EDT until April 17 at 10:00AM EDT by NWS Gaylord MI

Dense Fog Advisory

Dense Fog Advisory issued April 17 at 2:46AM EDT until April 17 at 10:00AM EDT by NWS Detroit/Pontiac MI

Destination

Detroit, MI

Evening in Detroit on Friday

Local time

5:33 PM

EDT

Current temp

52°F

Widespread Fog

NNE 3 mph 1% chance Live forecast

Dense Fog Advisory

Dense Fog Advisory issued April 17 at 2:51AM EDT until April 17 at 10:00AM EDT by NWS Gaylord MI

Dense Fog Advisory

Dense Fog Advisory issued April 17 at 2:46AM EDT until April 17 at 10:00AM EDT by NWS Detroit/Pontiac MI

68°F

Trenton, MI

25 mi in

Time zone

Same local time

Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.

Temperature spread

Very similar conditions

Both ends of the route are sitting at about the same temperature right now.

Road read

1h 5m on the road

The weather snapshot is not static. If you are leaving later, give both cities one more quick forecast check before departure.

Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.

Frequently Asked Questions

The drive from Ida, MI to Detroit, MI covers 49 miles and takes about 1h 5m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.

The main roads are Detroit-Toledo Expressway, Fisher Freeway, M 50. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.

This is a comfortable same-day trip.

The midpoint is about 24.5 miles from Ida, MI. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.

At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $7.27 one way. This estimate uses 25.4 MPG — your actual cost will vary with your vehicle's fuel efficiency and current gas prices.

Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch. Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.

The route from Ida, MI to Detroit, MI does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.

How this page is built

Compiled by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy from open government datasets — OSRM over OpenStreetMap for geometry. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.

Was this helpful?

Thanks for your feedback!

Your tip has been submitted. Thanks!

/500

Explore More

Explore more options from Ida, MI or browse trips ending in Detroit, MI.

Looking for more statewide routes? Browse MI road trips.

Trip from Ida, MI to Detroit, MI

Best Time to Leave

Trip Overview

Who Is This Route For?

Drive Character

How Hard Is This Drive?

Critical Maneuvers

Main Roads

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Where to Stop

Pacing Suggestions

Arriving in Detroit, MI

Fuel & Cost

Travel Intel

Ida, MI

Detroit, MI

Same local time

Very similar conditions

1h 5m on the road

Frequently Asked Questions

How long is the trip from Ida, MI to Detroit, MI?

What are the main roads on this route?

Is this a good same-day trip?

Where should I stop halfway?

How much does gas cost for this trip?

What is the best time to leave?

How hard is the drive from Ida, MI to Detroit, MI?

Where does this route get tricky?

What towns show up on signs driving from Ida, MI to Detroit, MI?

How this page is built

Explore More

Continue From Detroit, MI

More from Ida, MI

More trips to Detroit, MI